Newspaper Page Text
The
Commerce News
Page 2A • November 21, 2007
Region Roundup
Banks Co. Works
On Pandemic
Flu Planning
Members of the Banks County
Emergency Preparedness Team
met recently to discuss how coun
ty leaders would handle a flu
pandemic if one ever occurs in
the area.
Jeff Morrison, program direc
tor of the Statewide Exercise-
Operations Georgia Emergency
Management Association, gave a
presentation to the group on pre
paring for this type of disaster.
The Banks County group has a
plan written.
The next step is to share the
plan with everyone involved, then
conduct a drill that follows the
plan.
“You need to know your plan
and exercise your plan,” Morrison
said .
Morrison said it is important to
define the objectives and make
your objectives. The plan must
be evaluated by observing and
recording exercise activities, writ
ing an after-action report and
developing an improvement plan,
he said .
Morrison told the team mem
bers that their preparedness and
capability will be scrutinized.
Team member Shanda
Hegwood, BJC Medical Center,
asked Morrison, “How do you get
key players to play?” Morrison
said it is important for local com
munity leaders to know they are
responsible for preparedness in
event of a flu pandemic or any
other disaster.
Morrison said any plans devel
oped could be used for other
disasters as well as a flu pan
demic.
Members of the Banks County
team attending the meeting
were: Ashley Smith, Jennifer
Glaze and JoAnn Dodd, Banks
County Health Department;
Deidra Moore, Banks County
E911/EMA; Mark Pazen, District
2, Public Health; Dale Carter,
Banks County Environmental
Health; Hegwood; Bob Waldorf,
Banks County Extension Service;
Angela Sheppard, Banks County
Commissioners; and Clay Hobbs
and Lisa Chastain, Banks County
Schools.
The team will hold its next meet
ing at 11 a.m. Tuesday Dec. 11, at
the recreation department build
ing.
Lindsay's Legacy
Offers Mentor
Training Dec. 6
Lindsay’s Legacy mentoring pro
gram in Jackson County will hold a
mentor training session from 8:30
to 9:30 a.m. Thursday Dec. 6, at
Jefferson Middle School.
Jill Barefoot is the mentor coor
dinator at JMS and may be con
tacted at 706-367-2882.
To sign up for the upcoming
mentor training sessios, contact
Lisa Stephens at 706-410-5525 or
jacksonmentors@yahoo.com.
Piedmont College
Offers Bachelor's
Degree In Nursing
The Piedmont College Daniel
School of Nursing is now accept
ing applications for bachelor of
science in nursing (BSN) pro
grams that begin in the upcoming
spring and summer semesters.
The programs include a pre
licensure BSN degree program at
the college’s Demorest campus
for students who want to start a
career in nursing. Also offered
is an “RN-to-BSN” program at
both the Demorest and Athens
campuses for registered nurses
who already have an associate’s
degree.
“The RN-to-BSN program is
designed for working nurses
who need flexible study hours,”
said Dr. Linda Scott, dean of the
school of nursing.
“Students enrolled in the ‘RN-to-
BSN’ program meet three times
during the evening each semes
ter,” Scott said. “Most of their
studies are conducted on-line
or through study discs. It allows
working nurses to study at times
that are convenient to them.”
Scott said the RN-to-BSN pro
gram is open to nurses who
GRAND OPENING!!!
Friday, November 30, 2007
1:00 p.m. - 6:00 P.M.
LOVE'S ESSENTIAL
FLOORING & GIFTS
Complementary Food, Snacks and Drinks
Door Prizes Each Hour!
Local Artists Exhibited
706-367-4884
96 College Street • Jefferson, GA 30549
North Georgia Floors is Greener Than You Think
As partners with Mohawk Industries, we are proud to announce
Mohawk’s impressive initiatives to save our environment.
• Mohawk Industries uses nearly 25% of all recycled plastic bottles collected in
North America—about 3 billion soda bottles—to make products each year.
• Mohawk’s new carpet fiber, SmartStrand with DuPont™ Sorona uses a mix
ture of regular nylon and renewable materials (sugar and corn) that create a
stain-resistant, recyclable and incredibly durable and good-looking carpet.
• Mohawk's EverStrand carpet is made from 100% recycled plastic soda bottles.
• All of Mohawk’s carpet products have achieved the highly respected certifica
tion of the CRI (Carpet & Rug Institute) Green Label Plus involving rigorous
testing to measure levels of volatile organic compound emissions. Lower
emissions mean higher indoor air quality.
• Mohawk is a major part of an industry initiative that is helping to build an
entire recycling infrastructure and find new uses for old carpet instead of
sending to landfills.
• Mohawk converts more than 30 million tires into doormats and is using wind
shield glass to make valuable carpet products.
• Mohawk is tracking 100 different waste streams within their manufacturing
process and using environmental engineering to find economical solutions to
not only recycle waste, but to eliminate it altogether.
We are also proud to announce the introduction of a line of hardwood flooring
that is environmentally responsible — Lauzon Distinctive Hardwood Flooring.
Lauzon only harvests trees whose growth period has ended. They purchase only
ethically harvested products. Absolutely nothing goes to waste in the production
of their flooring products.
Visit these websites to learn more: www.mohawkgreenworks.com;
www.sorona.dupont.com;www.lauzonflooring.com
^Nortli Georgia SCMOHAWK
^^^K^Floorsand ■ hl o° , *c*r"
Interiors
In Clarkesville
Across From The Courthouse on Hwy. 115
(706) 754-4329
M-F 9-5, Sat 9-3
have an associate’s degree and
an unencumbered Georgia nurs
ing license. The program is now
enrolling applicants for spring
semester, which begins in January.
Students wishing to enroll in later
semesters next year should also
contact the school of nursing
now, she said.
The pre-licensure BSN pro
gram for new nursing students is
offered at the Demorest campus
and is now accepting applications
for classes that begin during the
summer 2008 semester.
“The small classes meet dur
ing the day, and students receive
the personal instruction that
Piedmont is known for,” Scott
said. “Students also learn using
our simulated patient lab, which
includes computer-controlled
mannequins that simulate a vari
ety of patient conditions.”
For more information about
Piedmont’s Daniel School of
Nursing, contact Dr. Scott at 706
776-0116 or e-mail lscott@pied-
mont.edu.
Tax Digest Growth
Means $500,000
More In Revenue
DANIELSVILLE -- Madison
County property owners will
collectively pay approximately
$500,000 (or 6.8 percent) more in
property taxes for 2007, than in
2006, to the county government.
However, that does not nec
essarily mean that tax bills will
increase by the same amount for
individual property owners, since
certain properties may increase in
value more quickly than others.
County commissioners have yet
to finalize their 2008 budget, but
county clerk and chief financial
officer Morris Fortson said the
board doesn’t anticipate a mill
rate increase to fund its antici
pated $14.2 million budget.
In fact, the BOC plans a slight
roll back of tax rates for 2007,
since a $72 million (11.8 percent)
increase in the county tax digest
(total county land value) will boost
the county revenues in 2008.
County commissioners will set
their tax rates at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 10
in the county government com
plex. The anticipated tax rate for
the incorporated (within cities)
property owners is 12.49, down
from 12.75, while the expected
rate for the unincorporated (out
side of cities) property owners is
11.22, down from 11.78.
So, when will tax bills hit the
mail?
“There’s a possibility that we
could get them out before the first
of the year, but everything has got
to fall in place,” said Fortson.
Commission To
Enforce Time
Limits On Speech
DANIELSVILLE -- When you
take the podium in front of the
Madison County commissioners,
how long can you talk into the
microphone?
That’s been a point of debate this
past year and the issue was raised
again last week when Madison
County commissioner Stanley
Thomas called for improved
enforcement of established time
limit standards.
Thomas noted several examples
of inconsistent time-limit enforce
ment.
“At our last zoning meeting,
on a proposed development in
Colbert, a man who was repre
senting the people who applied
for that rezone rushed through
his presentation because he was
told there were time limits,” said
Thomas. “He was like an auction
eer. You had to listen real close
to see what he said. Then we
allowed two people who spoke
against it to stand up there for a
long period of time, far exceeding
the time limits. ... If you’re going
to have time limits, they need to
be fair across the board. If you’re
going to enforce them, enforce
them all the time.”
Chip Chandler, Carlton, asked
the BOC to include more infor
mation about subjects to be dis
cussed on the meeting agendas.
And he said the time limits give
the public the impression that the
BOC doesn’t want input.
“From my point of view, the
chairman has actually been too
harsh, not too lenient, but too
harsh (on enforcing time limits),”
said Chandler, who noted a zon
ing hearing earlier this year as an
example. “You had citizens run
ning from the back of the room,
because the clock was running
on that 15-minute time limit. ...
You make everybody feel like you
don’t want to hear what they have
to say.”
Chairman Wesley Nash, who
had faced criticism from the
board for not enforcing the time
limits, then cut Chandler off, tell
ing him his time was up.
The board agreed that Nash
should be in charge of enforc
ing time limits and that the com
missioners will purchase a red
and green light to notify speakers
when their time is up.
During the next agenda item
— the animal shelter budget
— Nash enforced the board’s poli
cy, cutting off speakers during the
middle of discussions and telling
them their time was up.
During the “urgent matters” por
tion of the meeting, in which com
missioners can speak on a subject
of their choice, Thomas said he
recognized flaws in the current
time limit arrangement.
“It’s not my intention to t ake away
anyone’s right to speak,” he said.
Thomas said he doesn’t want
people to be kept from speaking
because the 15-minute time limit
has been reached.
According to policy established
by the BOC earlier this year,
there is a 15-minute time limit on
non-zoning issues, with speakers
given three minutes to address
the board.
In zoning matters, applicants
for a rezoning can speak up to 15
minutes and opponents can col
lectively speak up to 15 minutes
with a maximum of five minutes
per speaker.
Governor Offers
Conservation
Contest For Kids
ATLANTA -- Governor Sonny
Perdue has announced the
Governor’s Water Conservation
Contest, open to all students in
third, fourth and fifth grades. The
contest is designed to encourage
students to think creatively of
ways to conserve water by design
ing a plan that promotes water
conservation.
The Governor’s Water
Conservation Contest asks stu
dents in grades 3-5 to develop a
water conservation plan for their
community by describing their
proposed project in an essay and
drafting a budget for implementa
tion of the project. Students can
work on the essay and budget
as a class, a grade or as a proj
ect by all participating grades.
The principal of each school will
choose one winner to submit to
the governor for consideration.
Perdue will bring together judges
to read submitted proposals and
select the winning plan for imple
mentation.
The plan should include a unique
way for communities to conserve
water. The implementation must
cost less than $2,000 total to be
considered. All entries must be
received by the Governor’s Office
of Student Achievement by Dec.
6. The contest winner will receive
a $2,000 prize to be used to carry
out the conservation plan in the
community. Home Depot is spon
soring the contest and will partici
pate in the award ceremony. An
e-mail with full contest guidelines
will be sent to principals and
superintendents throughout the
state.
FOR ONLY $5 PER MONTH,
YOU CAN LIST YOUR GROUP'S MEETINGS!
Let your members know when your group is meeting!
Call (706) 367-5233 to advertise your meeting time, place and date in...
• The Jackson Herald • The Commerce News • The Braselton News
• The Banks County News • The Madison County Journal
UNITY LODGE
F & A.M.
No. 36, Jefferson, GA
1st Tuesday of each month, 7:30 p.m.
A. Ben Wurtz • 706-367-1400
Borders St. behind Tabo's 260
JEFFERSON ROTARY CLUB
Meets Tuesdays
Jefferson City Clubhouse
12:30 p.m. • (706) 654-2237
Clay Eubanks, President
260
A COMMERCE
W AMERICAN LEGION
Commerce Rec. Dept. Post 93
Carson Street - 1st Mon. night
Each Month, 7:30 p.m.
335-6400
BANKS COUNTY
HISTORICAL SOCIETY, INC.
meets first Monday each month
7:00 p.m. in the Banks Co. Historial
Courthouse at 105 U.S. Hwy. 441
North in Homer Pd.-2/2008
JEFFERSON
IIP AMERICAN LEGION
Albert Gordon Post 56
Each 3rd Tuesday, 7:30 p.m.
Harvie Lance, Commander
Phone (706) 654-1274 310
Georgia Real Estate Investors
Association, Inc. - Athens
Meets the third Thursday each month
7:00 pm at the Holiday Inn
197 East Broad St, Athens, GA 30601
Tom Hewlett - Chapter President
mailto:thewlett1@charter.net
website: www.gareia.org Pd 10/07
The Jackson Co. Republican Party
Would like you to meet us for
breakfast the second Sat. of each
month, 8:00 at The Jefferson
House. For more information, call
706-652-2967 or email
fishyglass@yahoo.com Pd.05/08
BANKS COUNTY
AMERICAN LEGION
Post 215
Meets each 3rd Thursday, 7 p.m.
In Homer, GA at the
American Legion Building on
Historic Highway 441 Pd.06/08
VETERANS OF
foreign wars
Post 4872, Hurricane Shoals Convention Ctr.
Each 4th Monday, 7:00 p.m.
Mike Buffington, Commander
Phone 706-335-6532 263
JEFFERSON LIONS CLUB
Meets 2nd & 4th Monday
Jefferson City Clubhouse
6:30 p.m. • (706) 367-1400
Mark Bradley, President
260
